The voice of the child : the experience of former youth-in-care in having their views heard
Date
1994
Authors
Jones, Deborah Sheehan
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Abstract
Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child states that the child who is capable of forming his or her own views has the right to express these views and to be provided the opportunity to be heard in any Judicial and administrative proceedings. This research study examined the experiences of three former youth in care in having their views heard by adults during their time in care. The study armed at exploring the experiences from the youth's perspective, to better understand how this right to be heard was experienced by children and youth.
A phenomenological methodology was used m the study to collect and analyze the conversational data The research question that guided this study was what is the experience of youth in having their views heard by adults while in care? The aim of the research project was to explicate the phenomenon of 'being heard' and to describe the essential components of being heard as the participants experienced it. This study tried to provide the reader with a deeper understanding of the nature and meaning of the youth's experiences in having their views heard.
The findings of the study have described the experiences of being heard. Five themes emerged from the participants' experiences based on the analysis of their descriptive stories. These themes were caring commitment, feeling safe protected and not judged, help in getting what I need, help in dealing with my problems, and intuitive knowing. The participants of this study felt heard by adults who cared about, respected and treated them with dignity, and who communicated to the participants a sense that they were safe to voice their opinions without fear of rejection or ridicule. The participants felt heard when adults cared enough to help them get the supportive resources they needed who gave them support guidance in dealing with their problems. The participants sensed intuitively that they were being heard based upon the body language and genuineness of adults with whom they were relating.
The findings of this study were compared to Article 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and to other literature in the areas of children's rights, support, and empowerment. Comparisons revealed that the participants of this study were not significantly different from any other human beings, children or adults, in their desire to feel empowered, in control of their lives, supported by caring others, and to live with dignity. The participants felt heard by adults who related to them as if they had rights - adults who were empowering and who treated them in ways that respected their right to be heard.
The significance of the findings is that the participants' ability to exercise their right ot be heard appears to be contingent upon adults allowing them to exercise their right. The attitude of adults and the skill which they communicated to youth was fundamental to the youth feeling heard.
This study has given a direct voice to youth and includes recommendations for further research as well as implications for policy and practice for practitioners and policy makers in effectively meeting the needs of children and youth.